[00:00.00]CHAPTER SIX Reading page 95 and 96
[00:-1.00]An exhibition of some of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
[00:-2.00]will open at the Cultural Centre next week.
[00:-3.00]Here art critic Lawrence Liu reviews Van Gogh's life and work.
[00:-4.00]THE VINCENT VAN GOGH EXHIBITION:DON'T MISS IT!
[00:-5.00]Van Gogh is probably the world's most famous painter.
[00:-6.00]Does he deserve such a reputation?
[00:-7.00]In 1990 a Japanese businessman paid US $82 million(a world record)
[00:-8.00]for one of his works.
[00:-9.00]That might have made him laugh.
[00:10.00]In fact,it would probably make him sad and angry.
[00:11.00]He wanted people to see his paintings,not to lock them inside bank buildings.
[00:12.00]Certainly,he was not a success in his lifetime.
[00:13.00]Although he produced more than 800 paintings,he sold only one,
[00:14.00]for about US$80.No gallery showed his work during his life.
[00:15.00]Few people had heard of him.
[00:16.00]After his death in 1890,his fame developed slowly,but never stopped growing.
[00:17.00]He was born in the Netherlands in 1853,the son of a priest.
[00:18.00]As a young man,he tried many different jobs.
[00:19.00]He worked in an art dealer's company,but disliked it,and left.
[00:20.00]He went to England,and became a language teacher.
[00:21.00]But he was always looking for some deeper purpose in his life.
[00:22.00]Next,he turned to religion.He worked as a missionary among the poor in Belgium,
[00:23.00]but quarrelled with his superiors,and abandoned that career.
[00:24.00]Finally,he decided to become a painter.
[00:25.00]For the rest of his life,
[00:26.00]he depended on the financial support of his brother Theo,
[00:27.00]the only person who believed in Van Gogh's ability.
[00:28.00]For ten years,from 1880 to 1890,Van Gogh produced his best paintings,
[00:29.00]until,sadly,he took his own life.
[00:30.00]It would be easy to say that he was mad.
[00:31.00]He was a difficult man,arguing with many people.
[00:32.00]After one quarrel,in late 1888,
[00:33.00]he was so upset that he cut off part of his own ear,and gave it to a young girl.
[00:34.00]It is impossible to know what he was thinking then.
[00:35.00]We definitely know that he spent a year in a mental hospital,from 1889-90.
[00:36.00]And yet,for most of this time he was completely sane.
[00:37.00]We know this because he wrote hundreds of letters to The
[00:38.00]expressing his ideas and his work,
[00:39.00]and these letters show the clarity of his thinking.
[00:40.00]But to return to the question I raised earlier:
[00:41.00]yes,in my opinion,he deserves the fame he nowpossesses.
[00:42.00]I certainly admire his work tremendously.
[00:43.00]His paintings are realistic,not abstract.
[00:44.00]And yet they are not like photographs.
[00:45.00]His style is rough,and he paints with bright colours and thick strokes.
[00:46.00]The strong feelings inside his head are visible in his paintings,
[00:47.00]even when his subjects are flowers,trees or the sky.
[00:48.00]They are paintings full of powerful,honest emotions,
[00:49.00]the emotions which finally killed him.
[00:50.00]We are undoubtedly lucky to have the chance to view these masterpieces.
[00:51.00]Van Gogh exhibitions are very rare.
[00:52.00]Thousands of people will want to come to this the cultural event of the decade.
[00:53.00]You may have to spend hours in the queue,but don't miss this chance.
[00:54.00]The paintings might not come this way again for many years.
[00:55.00]INTEGRATED SKILLS Page 100
[00:56.00]Combining information
[00:57.00](2)A Listen to the conversation...
[00:58.00]B.Listen to a conversation...
[00:59.00]SPEAKING page 105
[-1:00.00]A Giving your opinion
[-1:-1.00]When you are giving your opinion about something,
[-1:-2.00]think,carefully and give your ideas in a sensible way.
[-1:-3.00]Here are some useful words and phrases that you can use:
[-1:-4.00]Introducing you opinion
[-1:-5.00]I think/believe/feel that...Personally,
[-1:-6.00]I...It seems to me that..In my opinion,...In my view,
[-1:-7.00]..Referring to other people's opinions
[-1:-8.00]Some people think/believe/feel that..
[-1:-9.00]A few/Many people... It is said that...
[-1:10.00]Agreeing and disagreeing
[-1:11.00]Yes,I(strongly)agree with you/that idea.
[-1:12.00]I'm sorry,I don't really agree.
[-1:13.00]TERM PROGRESS FILE
[-1:14.00]A Listening
[-1:15.00]B.Listening
